Alumni profile Jude Robinson: Learning doesn’t have to end when you finish education!
Jude Robinson was, by her own admission, never an academic! As Head of Sixth Form back in the day (1984), Mr Lynch was sceptical about her coping with three A-levels having come to college with only a handful of average O-levels. Grateful for the chances she has had, constantly learning, Jude has seized opportunities and grown from a quiet, shy student, embracing her determination, and never giving up whatever the challenge. She has enjoyed a varied and very successful career, currently Deputy Director of Business Strategy for Department of Work and Pensions, one of the biggest government departments, delivering vital services that touch the lives of almost every one of us in the UK at some point.
Let’s hear in Jude’s words how the choices she has made have defined her, constantly learning and what advice she shares with us, including some of the fantastic and diverse career opportunities available in the Civil Service through apprenticeships and graduate entry.
Choosing to join Richmond Sixth Form College, was the making of me! I managed to pass my three A-levels, however through the whole Sixth Form experience, college environment and the encouragement of staff and students, I learnt so much about myself, came out of my shell, made lifelong friendships, and became who I am today!
I wanted to do a degree and opted for a foundation course, given average A-level grades, that got me onto the second year of a degree course. I learnt there is always a way, it might not be obvious, but if you want it, you’ll find it and studying something you are passionate about helps you succeed – I nailed my degree!
You don’t learn and grow sitting in one spot. Try everything you can – a graduate scheme is good for that. I was able to cover lots of ground in Northern Electric through such a scheme, never saying no to opportunities, accepting roles that saw me become the youngest Retail Manager and lead the Customer Service Teams for our VIP partnerships. I discovered my passion for all things ‘customers’ early on! Only by taking chances and exploring new roles can you find out more about yourself and where you want to go in the future.
Taking on extra-curricular activities also helps you learn about yourself, develop, and use new skills and gain knowledge in different contexts. Back in the 90’s two things stand out for me that helped grow my career; volunteering to act as secretariat for the ‘Board’, taking the minutes of meetings. I became more visible to leaders and learnt a lot about running the business. The other was taking part in Outdoor Challenges – teambuilding activities where we competed against other companies – honing my leadership and teambuilding skills, raising lots of money for charity as well as having fun. These endeavours can be inside or outside work but crossover – think about what you do that you can take the learning into the workplace and vice versa.
My career grew, and took me to new companies, big brands; Orange the mobile phone company, Sage Accounting Software, headhunted by their US competitor, Intuit QuickBooks, going global and working between London and San Francisco.
Through these organisations I had the privilege of working for some great leaders. A great boss will give you feedback, instil confidence in you and inspire you to be enthusiastic and perform at your best. Don’t ever stop asking for feedback from everyone you work with and act on it! To build your confidence and experience, find a coach or mentor. The benefits are huge, personal growth, skills development and it doesn’t have to cost anything – look on Eventbrite.com as they often list free coaching events, many coaches offer free webinars or think about who you admire and why, then follow them social media.
Networking has been a key tool to growth in my career, whether friends made at school and university, colleagues I’ve stayed in touch, my network has been a great source of help, inspiration, and advice. They’ve given me different perspectives, new ideas to help me solve problems. We’ve exchanged information, learnings, experiences, and insights that I had not even thought of, helping me improve my skills and even open doors to new job opportunities.
Through working with coaches and my own personal growth, I’ve developed a core set of values along the way that define me: I always want to make a difference, ensuring a positive impact or outcome. I am open and honest, as it’s the best way to build trust. I collaborate, work together with people, I empower people, giving direction whilst allowing them freedom to grow and I try to do the right thing. I constantly remind myself of these.
My journey has not been without its challenges and wrong choices along the way. I’ve made mistakes, but always tried to learn from them. There was a time I rushed a press advert and didn’t check the telephone number we wanted customers to ring. It was wrong and some poor householder was bombarded with phone calls instead of the agency! I’ve been in very tough environments, including bullying and harassment and redundancy situations.
I’ve learnt not to fear change or challenge, to speak up and act, making hard choices, such as leaving the company where bullying occurred, resigning when the job just didn’t feel right for me. The best advice I can give you is never look back, things happen for a reason, see it as a stepping stone to your next success.
And that’s just what I did three years ago, taking a huge steppingstone in to my last career move, joining the Civil Service, specifically the Department for Work and Pension (DWP). Having spent 30 years in private sector, and proud of my achievements, I wanted to share my experiences and learning with a public organisation that does so much for those that need help, whether it’s getting back into employment, encouraging disabled people to be independent, helping the most vulnerable in society.
The UK Civil Service is a great opportunity. The scale, complexity, and impact of the work we do is unrivalled. Joining the Civil Service will give you access to exceptional learning and development opportunities and a variety of roles and career paths. You could be working as a vet, a customer service advisor, a weapons engineer, a marine biologist, or a web developer to name a few! We are making a real difference to help improve the lives of people living in this country. Take a look at the Civil Service Fast Stream and Apprenticeship opportunities.
Whatever you choose to do, enjoy it, and remember to have fun!